


The Color of Flowers

by emmeginger



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, any possible sexual things will be inferred, eventual angst, other characters from the game will probably pop up i'll add them later, probably won't get any higher than teen sorry lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-10 07:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5576848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmeginger/pseuds/emmeginger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Is it rude to think how absolutely adorable the school's groundskeeper is? He's big, fluffy, and literally a bipedal goat man. Sure, you've never met him in person, but you've heard nothing but good things. And he maintains the flowers you love so much just perfectly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Color Theory

**Author's Note:**

> This work is dedicated to my friend Jen, who is wonderful in every way!! Notes about the chapters will generally be at the end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noticably cute and surprisingly thirsty

Color theory wasn’t the most riveting thing to a bunch of highschoolers.

Sure, some were able to fake interest better than others, but you knew the difference right off the bat. The glassy look in their eyes when you talked about primary, secondary, tertiary colors and their complements couldn’t be hidden no matter how hard they tried.

It was understandable. You wanted to get straight into painting too, but they needed to know the basics first and foremost. At least you weren’t as dry as your old art history professor… or, at least, you hoped to hell you weren’t.

It probably didn’t help that the art rooms were connected to the beautiful gardens the high school had on the grounds. Their eyes were want to wander to the greenery that they weren’t allowed to be in until a good week into the semester. Honestly, if you weren’t so good at multitasking, the flowers and plants would have distracted you too, but you excelled at talking about one thing while thinking about another.

“And so, complementary colors are important when shading--” You continued the lesson, keeping your voice as light as possible in an attempt to keep their interest for as long as possible. There were only about ten minutes of this period anyway and then they can book it to lunch.

Out of the corner of your eye, you took in the beautiful flowers that bloomed near your windows and your hand itched to use your pastels to capture them on paper. Luckily you could do just that during your lunch break.

Almost as if on queue, the lunch bell rang and a clatter of chairs popped your attention back to your students.

“Alright everyone, tomorrow we will talk more about shading and color choice, but then we’ll actually crack open the sketchbooks.” You hear a good amount of appreciative murmurs as the students filed out of your classroom.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow!” A happy voice came from your desk and you turned to smile at the owner. Your teacher assistant, a rabbit monster named Tizzie grinned back at you.

Besides the beautiful school grounds and wonderful online reviews, what drew you to this school was how inclusive it was. Your students and fellow teachers were an almost equal ratio of human to monster. The school’s progressiveness really called out to you when you applied for the job.

“I know, you’ve been excited to actually draw, right?” You chuckled, checking around the room to make sure students didn’t leave anything behind. Your humanoid rabbit friend stood to help, nodding very enthusiastically.

“Yeah!! Oh, not like I don’t like the technical stuff too, but I hear a lot of it in my other college classes!” You giggled again as you watched them bounce on the balls of their feet -- their _adorable_ feet, you thought to yourself.

“It’s fine, honey, I understand. Technical stuff is important but --” You lean slightly toward them, as if about to share a secret. “It can get very boring very quick.” The two of you shared a giggle as you stood up straight again. “Anyway, did you want to grab lunch from the teacher’s lounge? I think Robin brought some pound cake today.”

Tizzie gasped. “Gosh!! I love Ms. M’s cake!” If it was possible, they bounced even faster. “Did you want me to grab you a slice?” They were already halfway out the door when they asked.

Laughing, you shake your head. “Nah, it’s fine, go enjoy yourself. But if she’s there, can you tell her that I might have to stay later than normal today?” The two of you carpooled since you lived in the same apartment complex. They gave you a double thumbs up before bounding out of sight. You laugh again at the rabbit’s immeasurable energy before walking toward your desk to grab your supplies.

With the thirty minute lunch break, that gave you more than enough time to at least get a few good sketches of the gardens. You pull up a chair to the nearest window and plopped yourself into it, flipping open to the cleanest page in your sketchpad. Looking out into the gardens, your eyes scanned the area for the first thing that would catch your interest.

The gardens had a few younger students playing around in the safer areas. The high school shared the space with the local elementary and middle schools, so seeing the young children of all kinds laughing and enjoying themselves in the green backdrop was wonderful. If only the rest of the country was like this.

As you continued to look around for something that called out to you, your eyes landed on a man. A very large man. A very large _goat_ man, horns and floppy ears included. Ah, that’s right, you remembered that there was a monster groundskeeper here, but you never actually got the chance to meet him. What was his name? Ashton? No, that didn’t sound right. Asland?

You snorted at your accidental joke. “No no, he’s not a lion.” Though his beard and hair gave him that sort of look. Now you were racking your brain for the name, leaning forward in the chair and staring at the man, as if boring through him with your eyes would make the name pop into your head. He was cute and, unfortunately, your mind automatically thought about how soft he must be. “God, that has to be rude though.” You weren’t sure if calling a grown man ‘fluffy’ was a good idea, even if he was a goat man with fur all over.

Grumbling over your brain drawing a blank, you leaned back into your chair. “What is his name?”

“Asgore.”

The sudden voice behind you made you yelp in surprise and practically fall out of your chair. A loud, joyful laugh mocked you. “Talking to yourself again?” A hand reached out to your arm, helping you haul your ass back into your seat.

Robin grinned at you as you glared up to her. “Don’t startle me like that, asshole.” You muttered, though the smile on your lips contradicted your words. She just grinned bigger. “Wait, how did you know who I was talking about?”

She shrugged lightly, stretching out her back. For someone that was hunched over a computer most of the day, you always envied her posture. It was fine, though, because every chance you got you teased her on the fact that most of her students were taller than her. “Well, you were staring pretty intently at our adorable goat groundskeeper, it was kind of obvious.”

You huff. “I was only staring intently because I couldn’t remember his name.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously, Robin, that’s it. Haven’t even formally met the man, he just really stands out.” You pause, looking at him briefly. He was grinning ear to ear and happily trimmed one of the hedges into the shape of a… dog? You thought at first it was a giraffe because of the long neck but the dog like qualities to it made you think it was just a very artistic dog. You turn back to your friend. “He is adorable though, I’ll give him that.”

“Right?” She sighs dramatically, throwing herself against the back of your chair as you laugh. “You think it’s rude to think about how _soft_ he has to be?”

“God, I was thinking the same thing! I’d want to be his friend just so it wouldn’t be weird if I asked if I could pet his ears.” You both laugh at how terrible you could be.

“I haven’t met him up close, just in passing, but someone that big it has to be a crime to be so adorable…” Suddenly, her eyes got wide.

Your rose your brow. “What?” You chuckled at her. “You remember something you needed to do?”

“No. But that adorable goat man just graduated to adorable and _hot_ goat man.” With a huge grin, she pointed out the window. Letting out a small “Hmm?”, you turned your attention back toward the man of the hour.

And caught him in mid taking off his shirt.

A weird noise caught itself in your throat. Besides the fact that seeing him shirtless answered the question of _‘is he fluffy all over?’_ it made you realize he was fluffy in more ways than one. He was built like those mountain men that you saw on those wildlife shows, powerful but not defined. You also noticed that the golden hair that was in his beard was also flecked through his lower abdomen, much like a happy trail. That shirt, as cute as it was with the words ‘Mr. Dad Guy’ on them, did not do his body justice.

You were staring so intently at him as you watched him discard his shirt onto the nearest wheelbarrow, you almost didn’t hear Robin say your name. At what you guess was the third time, you turned toward her. “W-What?” Your voice came out as a small almost croak, your mouth dry for some reason.

“Hm.” She arched a brow. “Seems like you need this.” Reaching out to the table behind you both, she grabbed a bottle of water and held it out to you.

You furrowed your brow. “Why?”

A large shit eating grin plastered itself to her face. “Oh, you just looked very…  **_thirsty_ **.”

On their way back to your classroom, happily full from lunch and cake, Tizzie could hear Robin’s loud laugh and your even louder groan of embarrassment.


	2. Still Lifes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soothing sounds and simple meetings

The sounds of pencil on paper, scratching and erasing and swishing, were some of your favorites. It soothed you in the same way lighting a patchouli candle did, though when you had both in the same room it had an almost cathartic effect on you.

Good thing the school prohibited fire of any kind outside either the science labs or the home economics room.

You made your rounds, looking over the shoulders of your students as they drew the still life you had in the middle of the classroom. Fake fruit, a cow skull, some fabric draped in just the right way without being too difficult for their skill level, and of course some flowers. Sadly, when it came to the flowers, they were also fake. You would have brought some real ones, but the ones they had at the local grocery didn’t catch your eye. And the ones at the florist in town were not something you could afford on your teacher’s salary.

Your original plan was to have them draw out in the gardens, too, but the sunlight wasn’t right. It was too dark and you wanted to have them play with different lighting. The students would unfortunately have to get used to drawing the generic still life until they’ve finished. A week should do it.

Looking up toward the fake flowers, you scrunched your nose. You didn’t like how  _ plastic _ they looked and then you remembered how they squeaked when you accidentally rubbed two of them together. You cast your eyes toward the window so that you could sigh wistfully at the lack of real flowers. But you got an eyeful of a smiling man.

A smiling large goat man.

You blinked rapidly in surprise, watching as he smiled a bit bigger this time when he made eye contact with you. Lifting his hand --  _ paw? _ You thought.  _ No that  _ **_has_ ** _ to be rude _ \-- in a small wave, to which you smiled a small smile and lifted your own hand in a half wave. “If you have any questions, Tizzie will help you out. I’ll be right back.” After you hear a few murmurs of recognition and see a couple nods, you walk over to the glass doors that led out to the gardens and to Asgore.

With a simple slide open, you stepped out the door and slid it shut behind you. “Hello.” You smiled up to him and noted that he was much bigger when you stand right next to him. Again, he wore an adorably comic shirt, this time with the words ‘King Fluffybottom’. You chuckle lightly when you read it before turning your attention back to him.

He was smiling still, hands at his sides. You noticed that he kept his palms facing you, in a gesture that had an vaguely ‘I mean no harm’ feel to it. You silently wondered if he did it on purpose.

“Hello!” He greeted you in return. His voice just as deep as you imagined, but at the same time light. You weren’t really sure how that worked. “I hope I did not interrupt your class?”

“Nah, you’re fine. They’re just working on their still lifes.” You crossed your arms loosely across your chest, hoping not to come off as defensive -- it was just the most comfortable position to put your arms in when you didn’t have pockets. Keeping a smile on your face, you motioned lightly toward him. “You’re Asgore, right?” You would have been very pissed if Robin gave you the wrong name.

His eyes seemed to light up. “Yes, that is correct. Asgore Dreemurr. I apologise, but I do not know your name?” After you give your name, he nodded and repeated it softly with an interesting roll of his tongue. You did not mind at all how your name sounded in his voice. It seemed he remember something, his hand lifting up and snapping his fingers. “Ah! Yes, there is a reason I interrupted your class, I assure you.”

You chuckled. “Honestly, it’s alright. What do you need, Mr. Dreemurr?”

“Oh, no, please, call me Asgore! We are colleagues and I do not wish for us to be so formal with one another.”

“Alright, Asgore, then you call me by my first name as well.”

He grinned at this, showing off his teeth. They looked oddly sharp for someone who was technically a humanoid version of a herbivore. The artist in you really wanted to draw those chompers. “Excellent. Yes, right, so --” Turning toward the small cement patio of sorts that was connected to your classroom, he motioned with his hand to many pots and planters that were in various states of full. “Are those yours?”

“Oh.” You looked to the mentioned pots and nodded. You had brought them from your apartment, since the window sills that you had were not big enough to hold all of them. None had plants yet, but you planned to put some in them eventually. “Yes, they are.” Your attention went back to him, an almost guilty smile on your face. “Sorry, was I not allowed to?” It was your first year working here and you were not one hundred percent sure about what was and what was not allowed. Some places were more lenient than others.

Asgore lifted his hands, shaking them in a worried and dismissive manner. “No, no, they are no problem! I was just curious, for I know everything in the school’s garden and they were unfamiliar to me.” You sighed lightly in relief. “Did you have any specific plans for them?”

You “hmm’d” in thought, before shrugging. “Not really? I mean, I’d love to have some of my favorites but, uh, sadly I doubt I can afford to get them all. Maybe a few?” You’re eyes softened. “Definitely sweet peas, though. If I can find them. The light here is great for them.”

“Well, if you need help with them or are want for potting soil, please don’t hesitate to ask.” The way his eyes lit up with pure sincerity when he said this made your heart do a small flip.

You nod. “Sure. I appreciate it.” Looking back to your diligent students briefly, you smiled up to him. “I should get back to them, just in case they have a question Tizzie can’t answer.”

He smiled again, this time a bit guilty looking. “Yes. Again, sorry to interrupt.”

You chuckle. “Seriously, it’s fine. I wasn’t in the middle of a lecture or anything.” You reach out behind you, fingers touching the handle to the door. With a quick thought, you smiled just a bit wider this time. “Hope to talk to you more later?”

The big toothy grin returned. “Of course! We are practically neighbors with how your classroom is attached to the gardens.”

Making sure not to seem too enthusiastic, you nodded in agreement just before you turn to return to class. When you slide the door closed behind you, you look up and see Asgore give you a tiny wave in goodbye. With a soft chuckle, you waved in return before you turned back toward your class.

As soon as you did, you noticed a few students whip their heads back toward the still life, trying their hardest not to be caught spying on your conversation with the groundskeeper. Smirking, you walked further into the classroom. “Alright, you dirty snoops, I hope your cow skulls are fantastic.”

Tizzie giggled from their spot at your desk when they heard a few muttered ‘sorry’ come from the students, even though half of them were smiling ear to ear. You looked over to you assistant and shot them a playful glare. “That includes you, bud.” The rabbit giggled again.


	3. Creative Study

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea, cookies, and a bit of insight

Once a week, you got a free period. You had lucked out on two fronts -- one, you somehow managed to get your free period on a Friday; and two, you happened to get it the same time Robin did.

With an over dramatic flourish, Robin put a plate of cookies she brought with her on the table between the two of you. “I give you; various jam thumbprint cookies!” Your mouth practically watered at the sight of them.

“Good, I would have been so mad at you if you deprived me of any! Especially since I had to smell them from my apartment when you made them.” You reached out to the first one you could see, the red jam making it either raspberry or strawberry. After popping it into your mouth whole -- everything is bite-sized if you truly believe -- you let out a pleased sound. Strawberry.

Robin laughed at your reaction, grabbing herself one that looked like it was lemon. “Hey, cookies are the best snacks!” There was a small pause, a smirk playing on her lips. You never liked it when she gave you that look. “And even better when you can bribe your friend to spill some sweet gossip on her chance meeting with a _certain someone_.”

You almost choked on your cookie. “Wha-- how did you know about that?”

“Oh, I have my ways. Delicious, pound cake ways.”

“... et tu, Tizzie?” You mutter under your breath. Your teacher’s assistant couldn’t resist themselves when it came to Robin’s pound cake. Not like you swore them to secrecy anyway, but the principle was there!

“Well, you ate my cookies, now you have to tell me all about it!” It seemed like Robin was vibrating with excitement. She was only a gossip when it came to her friends and since you were her best friend she just _had_ to know everything. You liked that though.

“Mmh, it wasn’t anything special, honestly.” You reached out for another cookie. “He was just curious if the planters on the patio outside my classroom were mine.” A smile danced on your lips. “We did officially meet, though, so there is that.”

“It has to start somewhere! Now it’s talking about your planters and next thing you know, you figure out how kissing him would work!” This time you did choke on a cookie.

“Robin!” You managed to say between bouts of coughing. She laughed loudly, standing from her seat at the table.

“You said you stashed some tea in your cupboards somewhere, yeah?” You nodded and she grinned. “Good! And I know you hid a hotplate in here somewhere.” She winked at you.

“... it’s for art reasons.” Not at all to heat up cups of soup or used to boil tea.

“Sure sure. Of course.”

“You want my tea or not?” Your tone was teasing as you faked a glare.

“Of course I do!” As she made her way across to where you were pointing, her eyes casually scanned out the window. Something must have caught her eye, because she slowed to a stop just beside the door that lead to the gardens. “Hm.”

You noticed that glint in her eye. “Robin.” That was never a good look. Turning your attention toward the outside, you saw instantly what she was staring at.

Well, more like _who_ she was staring at.

Asgore was tenderly pruning the hedges of the gardens, white fluffy hands dirty from probably planting some fresh flowers in the beds. One hand reached up to his brow and, though you couldn’t hear it, you both saw him sigh.

“Boy, does he look like he needs a break.” Robin looked at you from the corner of her eye. “Maybe some tea and cookies.”

You don’t know why, but you started to panic as soon as you realized the motive behind her words. “Oh, god, no. Robin.” She turned her head toward you, an almost dangerous smirk on her lips. “Don’t.” Her hand reached out toward the door’s handle. “I will disown you!”

“I do this, because I love you.”

With those final words toward you, she slid open the with a slightly alarming force. “Mr. Dreemurr!” She spoke loudly, in what you noticed was her public speaking voice, to get his attention.

Instantly, Asgore turned his attention toward Robin and you could see a smile on his face from where you sat at the table. “Hello!” He called back, his voice loud without shouting.

“Hello! We were wondering if you’d like to take a break with us? I was just about to put on some tea!”

You saw his eyes light up at the mention of tea. Gently, he set down his hedge clippers and pulled out a rag from his back pocket. “Are you quite sure?” His voice was getting closer now and you had only a few moments to pull yourself together. You were a grown woman, not a teenager with a crush. You know how to breathe around a cute guy.

Usually.

“Of course, the more the merrier.” As he finally reached the door to your classroom, it was amazing how standing next to Robin somehow made the already large man seem even bigger. She stepped back inside so that he could come in, though he had to duck and turn slightly so that his horns would make it through. As soon as he was in, your friend closed the door behind him and then made her way in front of him.

“I don’t think we have formally met? I’m Robin Maloney, nice to meet you.” Holding out her hand, you watched in awe as he took her very small hand in his very _very_ large one. You could only imagine how shaking his soft hand must feel. Oh, why didn’t you think of that when you introduced yourself?

“Hello, Ms. Maloney. I am Asgore Dreemurr. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

“Please, call me Robin. Ms. Maloney is my mother.” You chuckled. That’s the exact line she used when the two of you met.

“Of course, the two of you are already acquainted.” Pulling you from your thoughts, your attention snapped back toward the two other people in the room. Robin was giving you a knowing smile, while Asgore was smiling softly and very kindly at you. Where her smile got you a bit suspicious, his made your heart beat just a bit quicker.

“Yes, of course.” His smile got wider as he said your name with that satisfying roll of his tongue. “Good to see you again.”

“You too.” You beamed up at him.

“Well! Asgore, please, have a seat at the table and help yourself to the cookies. I’ll put the tea on.” Robin gently nudged him toward the table and he nodded, making his way over toward you as Robin all but skipped toward the hidden kettle and tea.

“I hope you have been well since we last spoke?” He smiled broadly at you before eyeballing the chairs. He dwarfed them and honestly you had to hold back a giggle. “Yes, I have, thank you. Though, it has only been a few days.” Standing up, you walked over toward your artist supplies and grabbed a small sturdy table. It could be a good makeshift stool, for the moment.

“Thank you.” You weren’t sure if it was just you, but he seemed a bit embarrassed as he gratefully accepted the ‘stool’ from you. “True, but things change quickly.” A gently snort of a laugh passed through his nose as he sat down next to you. “I am glad it is not the case.”

“Me too, honestly.” With a chuckle yourself, you reached out to grab another cookie from the plate. You were about to shove it right in your mouth, but caught yourself. You did not want the hot guy sitting next to you to see you eat cookies like a highschooler. You took a bite instead.

As Robin prepped the tea, the three of you talked about mundane things. The weather, the students, your commute. You found out that Asgore lived and owned a large apartment building, where he rented out the apartments to monsters who were having trouble finding housing elsewhere. It was actually pretty close to your place, only a couple blocks down the street.

He talked about his adoptive daughter, Undyne, who was a self defense coach at the local YMCA, and also his other adoptive child, Frisk, who was attending their last year of elementary school.

You told him about various things, probably nothing as interesting as his life, considering you were just an art teacher that lived by yourself, but he listened with such an earnest expression it was as if you were telling stories about your life as a fighter pilot.

When Robin came over with the tea, Asgore asked about her as well. The surprised expression on her face was refreshing, but she beamed. She talked about her cat, about how interesting it was mixing monster politics into her public speaking class. She also casually slipped in some of your accomplishments, trying to get his interest more toward you and less toward her. Though flustered at her help, you were grateful.

The three of you talked for a good while, just laughing and enjoying eachother’s company.

“These cookies are delightful, Robin. Is this recipe yours?” Asgore took a cookie from the much lighter plate, eyeing the small treat in his large hand.

“Ah, sort of. It is my Gran’s, but I modified it a bit since all her recipes include far too much lard.”

The three of you chuckle at that. “Well,” He continued. “I think I know someone who would love the recipe, if you are willing to share it?”

Talking about baking always made Robin’s eyes light up. “Sure! I’ll photocopy it and bring it in Monday. Who’s it for?”

You were curious, too. He didn’t seem the type to bake himself, but then again he didn’t seem to be the tea and flower type either at first glance.

“Ah, it is for my… that is, it is for Toriel. Frisk’s mother.”

Your heart clenched a bit. Oh.

Reading the mood that changed in you, Robin smiled to Asgore. “Oh, you’re married?” She was good at sounding interested but not too interested.

When he shook his head, you felt a bit guilty at how relieved you felt. “No, divorced. Still getting used to it, though.” He hmm’d lightly before changing the subject. “But, anyway, thank you very much in advance, Robin.”

“Of course, no problem. I love swapping recipes, so if she likes this one tell her to hit me up for more.”

Asgore chuckled. “That I can do.”

You idly chatted some more after that, though in the back of your mind you thought over the big reveal. He had an ex-wife. It wasn’t inherently a big deal, but you did have to approach any attempt at flirting with him much differently.

But, with a tiny swell of your ego, you noted that the way he smiled at you when you spoke might be a good sign that he wouldn’t push away anything flirty.

You’ll have to remember he likes two sugars in his tea and the blueberry jam filled cookies were his favorite.


End file.
